BEEF producers from across large areas of southwest Queensland showed their demand for learning by travelling an average 700km to attend a three-day continual professional development course provided by OBE Organic in Charleville last week.

Better knowledge of satellite property mapping, improved family member communication, and better soil management are just some of the changes that the 59 producers attending the workshop said they expect to implement after participating in sessions on grazing best management practice, building a multi-generational farming business, and farm safety.

Participants in the Grazing BMP session at Chaeleville

Supported by Meat & Livestock Australia, Grazing BMP, and Pastoral Profit, the event is part of OBE Organic’s work to improve the profitability of its Organically-Certified producers by helping them amplify the organic premiums they receive with better farm management skills.

Participants said they valued the information-rich content and broad range of practical skills delivered, with 94pc of attendees saying the event met their expectations.

More than 80pc of graziers who conducted a Grazing BMP self-assessment of their animal production, grazing land management and soil health practices said they intended to make a change as a result, with improved mapping and land observations some of the most common likely changes.

Participants in the Grazing BMP session held at Charleville. More photos in gallery below.

Producers heard how OBE Organic is working to improve producer profitability, including aligning its value chain more closely to consumer expectations and by providing its producers with business scenario modelling to help them assess simple management changes that can increase their revenues per head.

A full-day “Building a Multi-Generational Business” workshop facilitated by Pastoral Profit laid the foundations needed to build businesses that last, with particular insights into how to identify different communication styles and needs of individuals in the family.

Producers also attended a half-day session to understand the five priority steps needed to create a safety management system for their properties. In Queensland alone, one in 35 agricultural workers are seriously injured each year.

OBE Organic plans to continue running the program of organic beef information, Grazing BMP self-assessment and tailored training every six months in different locations to continually improve the skills and profitability of the region’s organic beef producers.

Details of the location of the next OBE Organic Grazing BMP forum will be published on Beef Central shortly.

• OBE Organic continues to seeking new organic cattle suppliers to meet booming global demand for certified Organic beef, the company says. Organic producers wanting to supply livestock to OBE Organic and participate in the continual professional development program can make contact with livestock coordinator Ross Mackenzie on 0409 960 084.

About OBE Organic:

OBE Organic is Australia’s oldest organic beef marketing company, established by a group of family farmers in Australia’s Channel Country. It is still family-farmer-owned, and now sources beef from throughout Queensland, NSW, and South Australia. OBE Organic helps committed organic beef producers flourish by providing consistently high organic premiums, a strong focus on improving producer’s profitability and innovation, and support for producers to convert to organic. OBE Organic’s safe and nutritious organic grassfed beef is sold to rapidly growing markets in Australia, Asia, North America and the Middle East.